my pawnshop prize early 90's rg570 was only like $150 + about $50 for a new(used) brigde pu + about $50 for sperzle locking tuners + about $50 for slight mods and stuff to be done on the innards, new switch, wiring, fixing a knob, grounding, ect...
then a couple hours of work disabling the trem and sanding down the neck...

in the end about $300 for one of the best feeling and great sounding guitars i've ever played. though its appearance(many battle scars) still manages to scare theives away.

i also have a "rare" (they don't make em anymore and they were never really a huge production line like the s series or rg series) pgm30 i'll sell you, hardshell case and all... right in your price range.. pretty much new condish. i bought it new a couple years ago... but i pretty much play my rg570 these days and the pgm 30 is just in it's case or used as a backup...
wanna give it a new home?

and the EC-1000 is a nice guitar, but i think passives sound better in it.

wrong... wel, not completely but,

I'm not talking about nowadays esp's.

The USA ESP shop in Hollywood and New York have both merged with the Custom Shop factory in Tokyo,Japan. but they USED to have ESP's from the American custom shops. though production in America got too expensive...

all the catalog models these days are outside america though. they all run off the same factory, but the 'esp' models have the us production standards.

Though if you EVER played an American ESP you'de agree it fucking rules every jap made guitar. I guess things that could come close are ancient Kramer Stagemasters or Ibanez J-customs.

The USA ESP shop in Hollywood and New York have both merged with the Custom Shop factory in Tokyo,Japan. but they USED to have ESP's from the American custom shops. though production in America got too expensive...

all the catalog models these days are outside america though. they all run off the same factory, but the 'esp' models have the us production standards.

Though if you EVER played an American ESP you'de agree it fucking rules every jap made guitar. I guess things that could come close are ancient Kramer Stagemasters or Ibanez J-customs.

Hmm i wasent awar that ESP ever had an american factory. I learn somethign new everyday

Right now my favorite guitars are from japan, good pices, good quality control. Just an all around good deal.